Getting Over It -- Omicron At Home

"If you are otherwise healthy and vaccinated, this will likely be a relatively minor illness and nuisance for you, from almost no symptoms, to a cold, to something that is more achy in nature."

Dr.Andrew Morris, infectious diseases physician, Toronto

 

"[Should symptoms worsen contact your doctor or health-care provider immediately]; some symptoms may be signals that more urgent medical care is needed."

"Adults may look dehydrated, have shortness of breath or chest pains. They may also complain of light-headedness."

"[With children], their face or lips may turn blue. Babies may be unable to breastfeed. These symptoms are warning signs that urgent care is needed."

World Health Organization

 

"We are seeing COVID [positive] babies of unvaccinated moms, who themselves are at increased risk of severe disease."

"It's hard to explain that their young infants would have had some protection against COVID if they had been vaccinated during pregnancy."

Dr.Nisha Thampi, pediatric infectious diseases physician, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario

 

"It's rare to have to admit any child with COVID, and we are definitely seeing an uptick in admissions with Omicron."

"We still have a group of kids under the age of five who are unvaccinated, and so they remain vulnerable."

"Inflammation in the bronchi can cause respiratory disease where the child may need support."

"[With a highly contagious variant circulating], we just have a much higher load of COVID out in the community."

"A baby under the age of two should have at least four wet diapers in 24 hours; a child over that age should have three pees in 24 hours."

Dr.Sarah Reid, pediatric emergency physician, CHEO 

Toronto's St. Michael's Hospital. Photo by Peter J Thompson /National Post

There's a lot of both observation and speculation about the barely-two-week appearance of Omicron, the SARS-CoV-2 virus COVID variant that health experts are still trying to figure out, even while two years of COVID-19 haven't brought them to a full comprehension of the coronavirus and its potential mutations and affect on the post-infected for the future. What all health authorities want to do is pull the rug out from under the confusion leading to panic. 

 

And they feel safe enough given real-life observations, to assure the public that this version of the mutated coronavirus appears far less willing to inflict heavy damage on the wild numbers of people it is infecting anywhere in the world it lands, turning an introduction into a full-scale invasion. The reality is that for any country's health-care system, the burden of dealing with Omicron goes well beyond is relatively mild symptoms as it bulldozes through populations. 

 

The variant's very infectiousness itself, feeding omnivorously on the infection-susceptible, inevitably creates a huge wave of hospitalizations; in comparison to the growing numbers of infections, relatively few serious cases emerging still translates to more urgent need to meet the medical requirements guiding people back to health through heroic medical interventions at a time when health workers are themselves drained of energy and many have succumbed to the virus themselves.

 

Still the public should be aware that most people contracting Omicron will not be requiring hospital assistance since most with a COVID infection of the variant are able to recover in their own homes. Omicron's most common symptoms are mild, including fever, cough, congestion, muscle aches or fatigue -- symptoms common to many other relatively benign, fleeting illnesses from colds to mild flu. It was noted early on that tell-tale symptoms of COVID-19 such as taste and olfactory sense loss rarely occurs with Omicron.

Some symptoms of Omicron infection include fever, dry cough, runny nose, aches and pains, nausea and diarrhea. You may not lose your sense of taste or smell with this variant, however, according to infectious diseases specialists. (Prostock-studio/Shutterstock)

When recovering at home the medical community recommends rest, remaining well hydrated, and should body aches be sufficiently severe, making use of over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen or iboprofen to treat fever or muscular and joint aches. The elderly with medical conditions; obesity, lung or liver disease, or diabetes, along with those who are immunocompromised may requir 9e early treatment in prevention of becoming more ill or requiring hospitalization.

 

"So getting a diagnosis is important, and you should seek medical attention", advises Dr. Morris. In which case some treatment options for those at increased risk of infection, with comorbidities include budesonide, an inhaled steroid and asthma drug that is commonly prescribed; the antidepressant fluvoxamine which has anti-inflammatory properties, and an IV infusion of monoclonal antibodies to prevent mild and moderate COVID from progressing to severe. 

 

For those who experience distress, it is recommended that they attend the closest hospital emergency department, alternatively if too ill, contact 911 for assistance. Any signs that include difficulty breathing when standing or moving about, chest pain or pressure, increased and gradual feelings of being unwell or breathless, shaking, or shivering, loss of appetite, dizziness, collapsing or fainting, or feeling ill to the point of being unable to perform basic functions, call for immediate medical assistance.   

 

In addition, there are other symptoms that give warning and require action, such as a significant or increasingly worse cough, confusion, sleepiness in the extreme, and low oxygen levels. Oxygen saturation (oxygen level in the blood) is measurable with the use of a pulse oximeter, a small device clipping to a finger. When levels dip to 92 percent in an otherwise healthy individual, that signals a need to be admitted to hospital.

 

And while it is considered a rare event for children or babies to develop severe illness out of COVID, pediatric hospitals are reporting having admitted babies under a year of age in reflection of COVID infections. Signs to watch for in children include sudden confusion, or refusal to eat. Babies in particular, can have issues revolving around feeding and hydration, or may require extra oxygen.  Indications of respiratory distress -- where a child is breathing differently than normal and dehydration -- signal the need for medical attention.

 

A child that presents as abnormally sleepy and is difficult to arouse out of sleep, is yet another symptom to be aware of. Should a child have a fever extending to day five, assessment should be sought "to make sure there's no sign of anything else happening that's causing the fever to persist", advised Dr.Reid.     

For many people who have two or three doses of a COVID vaccine and who get Omicron, they'll find their symptoms can be managed at home. Drink plenty of fluids, and stay warm inside. (Shutterstock)